Syrian refugee boat spotted offshore Yeni Erenkoy

Syrian refugee boat spotted offshore Yeni Erenkoy

Yeni Erenköy Coast Guard detected a suspicious looking boat four miles off the coast. The coast guard approached the seven-metre boat and found 24 Syrian refugees on board.

Their boat was towed to the local fishing harbour by the coast guard and after being questioned, the refugees, whose ages ranged between 18 and 45 were taken to taken to the police station and held in custody.

It emerged that the Syrians had left Mersin in southern Turkey in an attempt to enter the TRNC and reach their relatives who are in South Cyprus.

The skipper of the boat has not yet been identified and the police are continuing their investigations.

Meanwhile it is expected that the refugees will be charged with attempting to enter the country through an unofficial port by the Iskele Court today.